Wild Salmon Program

Salmon are an important food and cultural focus for First Nations and coastal communities; they are also the foundation of British Columbia’s coastal ecosystems. For millions of years, Pacific salmon have journeyed back to their natal streams and lakes to spawn, delivering critical food to wildlife, and nutrients to the ecosystem.

The BC coast is home to over 450 unique and irreplaceable populations of salmon called ‘Conservation Units’. These CUs come from thousands of spawning populations in hundreds of coastal rivers and watersheds. Yet these salmon face most of the same threats that have depressed and eliminated them from the US Pacific Northwest – harvest, habitat loss, and hatcheries. Now climate change, and even hydro-electric projects, are a growing threat to the salmon runs that still persist.

Raincoast’s Work

Raincoast’s wild salmon initiatives are the product of coordinated strategies between diverse groups including First Nations, coastal communities, academic institutions (like UVic and SFU) and other NGOs. Our policy recommendations and advocacy on behalf of salmon conservation and wildlife are informed by our research.